The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice in a petition seeking the Delhi government to frame new guidelines to protect the privacy of people infected with COVID-19. The plea sought to stop the circulation of names of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 on WhatsApp groups, and to remove the requirement of pasting posters outside their houses. The notice to the Delhi government was issued by a Division Bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad, and the petition was filed by Kush Kalra. Advocate Chinmoy Pradip Sharma represented Kalra, and the Delhi government was represented by its additional standing counsel, advocate Satyakam. The Delhi government has to file its affidavit within two weeks, and the matter has been listed for hearing on November 3. Arguments made in the petition In the petition, which MediaNama has seen a copy of, Kalra argued that pasting posters on houses of COVID-19 patients and sharing their details on WhatsApp groups is a violation of their right to privacy. Besides, he alleged that names of people who have tested positive for the virus are being freely circulated to RWAs by officials of the Delhi government’s health department, which are in turn being circulated on RWA WhatsApp Groups. Other arguments made in the petition: 'Stigmatises patients': Kalra also said that this is “leading to stigmatisation and drawing of unnecessary attention when in reality Covid-19 persons ought to be given privacy to cope with and recover from the illness in peace away from prying eyes. Rather,…
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